The First Meal
by kleineelch
Summary: The group is concerned by how skinny the Inquisitor is, so plans are made to help her out. Inquisitor Lavellan/Cullen fluff.


Well, here is my first shot at Dragon Age fic! As this game has consumed my life, it seemed only fitting I come up with some fluff based on my Inquisitor, Roisin Levellan, and our favorite ex-Templar Commander. Thank you for reading!

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It wasn't unusual for Roisin to miss a meal.

In fact, in a way it brought back memories of home. The clan had limited supplies of food and it was not unusual for a meal or two to be skipped. She looked at it as conserving her resources; no one wanted to have to beg others for food when they too had little. After joining the Inquisition it became an inconvenience to take breaks to eat a full meal. A strong cup of tea and some toast was often enough to sustain her through a morning of meetings, and even in the field Roisin did just fine off some berries and jerky.

'_There are other people who could use the food more than me._' She would think as she walked through Skyhold in the early hours, relishing the sleepy keep she now presided over. The tents of new occupants would do little to keep out the cutting winds that were increasing as the year came to a close. '_I should talk with Josephine about moving them inside. Perhaps we can open up the some of the larders to them as well..._'

Her first indication that her eating habits were odd came from Cassandra of all people. The two were cordial to one another as warranted, but there was little love between them. When Roisin came into the war room to look at the location of their next excursion Cassandra gave her a long hard look.

"Inquisitor, is there something wrong?" Her sharp tone caused Roisin to glance up at the Seeker.

"I don't believe there is? I thought we would be traveling to the Hinterlands to take a look into those reports of Red Templars as we discussed-"

"You seem to be…" Cassandra gestured towards her "...thin." She finished lamely. "Have you been getting enough to eat?"

Roisin shrugged. "I'm Dalish, remember? Not exactly known for our curves." She huffed out a breath and returned to the map, deciding that the second question was probably rhetorical anyway. "What do you think of taking this route? I believe Commander Cullen has said his men have cleared a path."

With a sigh Cassandra went to Roisin's side to discuss their strategy, glancing over her once more before beginning to list what the Inquisition could do to flush the Templars out.

/

"I'm telling you Rosie, if you're going to survive this whole 'Leader of the Inquisition' thing, you're gonna have to eat more than that." Varrick pointed at her with the knife he was using to cut up his stew meat. Roisin glanced at the bowl in her hands, half full of the stew that Iron Bull had sworn was his specialty. It certainly beat the hardtack that they had been eating while lying in wait for the Templars to pass by.

"I want to make sure everyone else has enough." She said as she brought a spoonful to her mouth to blow on it. "Besides I'm not that hungry."

"If you're saying that because my meal isn't delicious, I'd say that you took one too many hits from that Templars shield." Bull rumbled as he ladled a bowl of stew for Dorian. "There are stories about how good my cooking is."

"For a Qunari perhaps." Dorian quipped. "I'm not sure brown on brown on brown would go over well anywhere other than the wilderness. Well, perhaps Ferelden is different."

"What I'm saying, though," Varrick interrupted as he saw Bull open his mouth to retort, "is that it takes a lot of energy to fight and lead and do all that bullshit you do. The last thing any of us want is you...not being able to lead because of...being too distracted by your stomach."

Roisin felt her face flush. "I swear I'm doing alright." She said in a soft voice as she poked around a potato. "I'm just not used to...having so much."

"Please tell me they fed you as a child." Dorian said with a snort.

Roisin took another bite of the stew before she stood, placing the still filled bowl to the side. "I'm going to go and check with some of our troops, make sure they're doing alright. If I'm not back in a hour, come find me with weapons drawn." She said with a small smile. The rest of the group nodded and murmured their acknowledgement.

When Roisin was out of earshot, Iron Bull let out a sigh. "That girl needs to take care of herself better. All her focus is on the Inquisition, which is good, but still..."

"She says she's fine and I don't doubt she is, but I worry for her." Varrick gestured to the other two. "We all worry for her. Hell, even the Seeker worries, and the last time I saw that an entire Conclave had been wiped out." The party sat in silence, continuing to eat and stare into the fire. It was Varrick who noticed Dorian with his spoon halfway to his mouth and a grin spreading across his face. Iron Bull wasn't far behind.

"I thought you didn't like my cooking Dorian. I'm...pleased you are enraptured by it now."

"I know what to do. With the Inquisitor, that is." He said, his voice full of mirth. "Oh, I think I know exactly what to do." He looked at his two comrades and put his spoon back into the bowl. "Gentlemen, we have someone to speak to on our return to Skyhold."

/

Roisin winced as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. After three weeks away from Skyhold and the luxury it provided, this was her first time giving herself a good look over. One that wasn't just a glance for fresh wounds and bruises. Those lingered in some places (riding horses hadn't exactly helped the mottled bruise on her thigh), but she was surprised to find her clothes hanging from her body where they had not in the past.

'_This would explain all the looks I was getting from everyone as I checked in on them._' She thought as ran her hands over her now protruding ribs. '_And the blunt questions from Sera I guess_.' Roisin screwed her face up as she spoke to her reflection in an approximation of Sera's strong accent. "_Oi, you try to live off air out there? You were a stick before. Now you're a stick again. A stickier stick_."

A knock came at the door, startling Roisin from her conversation with herself. "Sorry, one minute." She called back, grabbing for a shirt to cover herself with. Worried that it made her weight loss more apparent with how it didn't fit her any more, Roisin banished the thought and made for the door. Finding her Commander standing there was not exactly what she had expected.

"Ah, Rois-Inquisior," Cullen fumbled over his words, before clearing his throat, "I'm glad to see you made it back in one piece." He gave her a small smile as he met her eyes.

"Well, I might be lacking a bit of blood thanks to some rather persistent Templars, but yes. All together." She said, his grin infectious. "How can I help you Commander?"

"Cassandra wanted to make sure you were going to be coming to the feast tonight, to celebrate your return and all." Roisin crossed her arms self consciously across her chest, her face heating up. '_That's not the only reason she wants me there._' She thought with some bitterness, which quickly faded into guilt. There was a pause. "Um, what would be the other reason she wants you there Inquisitor?"

_Shit._ Her arms tightened even further. "It is nothing Commander. Just...thinking out loud." Roisin shook her head, trying to not turn any more red than she already was. Cullen was...different than the others, and she didn't understand why it was his presence that made her feel like she was a teenager with their first crush. "I will be there in a moment. There is no need to wait for me."

"I...I don't mind." Cullen said, his words tumbling out. Roisin turned to blink up at him, hoping her blush wasn't noticeable. "It won't start without you anyway and, well, it wouldn't be proper for you to enter without an escort."

Roisin couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Cullen, I'm a Dalish, fade-touched rogue whose friends include a spirit, a very large Qunari spy, and a mage with an affinity for fancy clothes and necromancy. I don't think I've got much proper going for me."

"Well you deserve to be treated properly." His voice was softer than before, and Roisin's ears began to burn as her blush spread further. "I'll wait outside for you. Do hurry though, I'm famished and I can only imagine you are as well after three weeks of only trail rations." With a nod he stepped back outside and closed the door leaving a flustered Roisin in his wake.

'_Creators sake Roisin, you're a grown woman, not some blushing maiden!_' She thought, trying to rub the red off her face with little success. '_Besides,_' Roisin looked at herself in the mirror again, '_its not like you're much to look at. Not for someone like him._' With a final nod at her reflection, Roisin tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and took a deep breath. '_Maybe I can sneak out after a bit of socializing. Say I'm tired..._'

Pulling the door open to find Cullen relaxing against the wall, she put on her leader face. "Lets go Commander."

/

Roisin had managed to disappear from the party within an hour, Dorian was impressed to notice. He wondered if she had been taking lessons from Cole as well, as it seemed very few people had noticed her departure. One who had noticed, Dorian was tickled to see, was a certain ex-templar.

"I think it's time to put a bug in our Commanders ear." He murmured to Varrick in the seat next to him. "And two gold that this will get them together within a month."

"You underestimate Rosies stubbornness. Five gold it will be two months." Varric said with a grin. "Though I can't say I'd be too upset to lose."

Dorian gave him a small salute as he picked up his wine glass and sauntered to where Cullen sat, glancing towards the seat that at one time held the Inquisitor.

"Commander Cullen, I see you too have noticed our beautiful leaders flight!" He proclaimed as he sat down on the bench next to the now reddening commander. "Perhaps you can help us with a small dilemma…"

/

'_Who is here so early in the fucking morning?_' Roisin thought at she blearily looked towards the door that, so it seemed, someone was waiting at to get her attention. Standing up and wrapping her blanket over her sleeping clothes, she made her way to the door trying to recall just how much wine her and Sera had drank last night. "More than two bottles less than five. Maybe." She mumbled as she grabbed at the door handle. "I'm sorry Cass, I think we were supposed to have a meeting and-"

"Um, Inquisitor, good morning." Roisin blinked at Cullen standing before her with a tray of breakfast items. "You weren't at the war table as you usually are, so I, ah, wanted to make sure you were alright. I also brought breakfast?" He gestured with the tray.

Perhaps it was the residual wine in her system, but Roisin only nodded and turned back into her quarters, leaving Cullen to follow her back inside. "'M sorry for not being present at the meeting." She said in a rough voice, trying to fill the awkward silence. "Apparently Sera likes the strong stuff."

"So it was the two of you the cook was talking about this morning?" Roisin could hear the amusement in Cullen's voice as she sat down on her bed, massaging her temples. "He said something about a case of wine going missing. Cassandra had thought it was the spirit making off with things again." The tray was set onto her lap. "Wonder what she would think of the head of the Inquisition being an accomplice instead."

"You tell her and I'd advise you to sleep with one eye open." Her threat held little heat. Instead Roisin focused on the food in front of her. The rolls were still steaming and the porridge had a generous portion of sugar on the top, exactly how she liked it. Roisin glanced over to where Cullen had settled into a chair. He fidgeted as he caught her look, casting his glance away when she noticed him.

"I'm sorry if this is too forward Inquisitor." He stumbled over his words. "I didn't mean to intrude, I just...wanted to make sure you had a good start to your day."

Roisin opened her mouth to respond, but it seemed the words were stuck. She looked back to the food in her lap and swallowed hard. Instead of trying to speak she instead began to eat. The food was hearty and she ate with gusto, surprising herself when she found her bowl empty and only crumbs remaining. It was at this point that she remembered her Commander was still in the room.

"Oh, shit, I'm so sorry Cullen." She said as her hand flew to her mouth. "That was so...rude of me. I should have offered you something." Cullen let out a laugh and stood, making his way to where she sat.

"Its no problem Inquisitor, its good to see you have such a good appetite." He leaned over Roisin, looking at her with a glint she couldn't quite place in his eye. "Perhaps you could make it up to me by taking breakfast with me tomorrow?"

Again, lost for words, Roisin could only nod. The corner of his mouth quirked up as Cullen took a step back, tray in his hands. "Thank you for honoring me Inquisitor." He hesitated before he continued. "I must admit, I was sure that Dorian was teasing me when he asked my to bring you breakfast."

"What did Dorian tell you?" Her head snapped up to look at Cullen as he stood, looking surprised at her sharp tone.

"He said that Dalish enjoy eating with others," He started, his cheeks beginning to color "And that, since you got here, no one was available in the morning to join you. So, ah, you haven't been eating as well as you should." Cullen shut his mouth abruptly. "I'm sorry Inquisitor, I just...I was…I'll just be going now." He made to walk away, but Roisin lept up and grabbed his arm before he got too far.

"I...do miss eating with others." She smiled as she tried to not think about just how close she was to the Commander in just her night clothes. "It would be...very nice, I think, to have breakfast with you." Cullen's mouth twitched into a smile.

"Tomorrow then?"

"Tomorrow." Roisin nodded. Her hand lingered a moment longer, before she snatched it back, pushing the thought of '_how warm he feels_' to the back of her mind. "Ah, so, anyways, tell Cassandra and the others that I won't be long coming down. And, if you see him, tell Dorian I need to have a little chat with him."

"As you wish, Inquisitor." Cullen gave a slight bow and left Roisin looking after him as he walked away. She was torn between wanting to throw Dorian out of his tower and thanking him for setting this up. Instead she settled for burying her face in her hands in order to come to grips that she just made outstanding plans to eat breakfast with the handsome Commander.

Returning to bed never sounded more appealing.

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If you feel so inclined, reviews are loved! You can also find me on tumblr at musicaljinx, where right now it is all Dragon Age all the time. Cheers!


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